Crossing Barriers
 A Lehigh County Service Coordinator called Via for a speech therapist for a trial assignment. A family had recently relocated to Allentown from Russia.
“Early intervention has been shown to result in the child needing fewer special education and other habilitative services later in life."
Source: U.S. Department of Education |
The father of twin boys, age two and one-half requested a speech therapist and asked that their therapist speak Russian.
The County Service Coordinator was able to locate a speech therapist that spoke Russian but because of distance, was unable to work with the family.
The County Service Coordinator went back to the family and asked that they try working with one of Via’s speech therapists with the understanding that if this arrangement did not work out, they could try someone else. They family agreed and Via stepped in.
Working with a language barrier proved challenging but because of the strong commitment between Via and the family, they persevered and began to make great strides with the twins. When the boys turned three and graduated from Via’s Early Intervention Services, the family was sorry to see the Via therapist go and asked if they could hire Via for private therapy.
For more information, contact:
Marisa Nimtien, Director of Children's Services
m.nimtien@vianet.org
• 484-893-5379
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